In the heart of awards season, we are pleased to add to the inundation by introducing (cue fanfare) the Robbies!
Yes, we have rolled out the green carpet for the inaugural Robbie Awards, brought to you by … uh … er … does anybody want to sponsor this thing?
Robbies are being bestowed upon members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders who made eye-popping, game-altering plays during the 2024 CFL season.
Envelopes, please …
BEST PASS: Trevor Harris
There are plenty of candidates when a quarterback earns divisional All-CFL honours. This category, then, is of the pick-the-cutest-puppy-out-of-the-litter variety.
Let’s go with a stunningly precise pass Harris launched early in the second quarter on Nov. 2, when the Roughriders played host to the B.C. Lions in the Western Semi-Final.
On second-and-11, Harris found Jerreth Sterns even though one … two … three … four Lions defensive players were in the vicinity.
One of the B.C. players, a linebacker, seemed to stand between Harris and Sterns. There was, in other words, the tightest of windows.
Harris nonetheless found Sterns 20 yards beyond the line of scrimmage.
“What a throw by Trevor Harris!” Dustin Nielson exclaimed during TSN’s telecast.
Sterns added five yards after the catch before being tackled on the visitors’ 25-yard line.
In conversation with Harris, the Robbie Awards’ committee chair labelled the throw as IMPOSSIBLE.
“I honestly didn’t think it was like that in real time,” he responded. “It felt like he was open, so I just threw it to a spot where he could get it and I didn’t feel like the linebacker could.
“It was just an awesome play design by Marc (Mueller) and a heck of a catch by Sterns.”
BEST CATCH: KeeSean Johnson
Johnson’s leaping grab produced a 28-yard major on Oct. 5, when the Roughriders defeated the Elks 28-24 at Commonwealth Stadium.
The 6-foot-1, 201-pounder made a contested catch at the one-yard line and took it in from there to help Saskatchewan assume a 28-21 lead.
“I was like, ‘I’m just going to put this in a spot for him to get a rebound,’ ” Harris recounted.
“I felt like we had a size mismatch, so I put it up in a spot where I felt like he could just get a rebound off the rim.”
Johnson appreciated the opportunity and the trust that was demonstrated.
“Trevor just having the confidence and being able to throw the ball up in the air and give me a chance, that’s what felt the best,” he said.
“As a football player and as a competitor, those are the plays that you want to make against whoever it is out there. Even if it’s in practice, I still want to make a play against my teammates.”
BEST RUN AFTER THE CATCH: Samuel Emilus
On July 4 against the visiting Toronto Argonauts, Emilus caught a short pass from Shea Patterson and evaded three would-be tacklers en route to the end zone for a 34-yard score.
Emilus covered the final 24 yards after simultaneously executing a spin move and a stiff-arm.
BEST RUN: A.J. Ouellette
A prized free agent signing during the off-season, Ouellette came through with a big-money run in the Western Semi-Final.
Ouellette broke a tackle five yards beyond the line of scrimmage and travelled an unimpeded path to the south end zone for a 30-yard major that snapped a 13-13 tie. The Roughriders went on to win 28-19.
BEST POCKET: The entire offensive line
Harris received perfect protection while unloading a bomb to Emilus that produced an 88-yard TD on Oct. 5 in Edmonton.
The Roughriders’ quarterback enjoyed the luxury of a textbook pocket, thanks to Trevor Reid (left tackle), Noah Zerr (left guard), Logan Ferland (centre), Nick Jones (right guard) and Trevon Tate (right tackle).
Commonwealth Stadium was kind to Harris, who also benefited from first-rate pass-blocking in a 29-21 Roughriders victory on June 8. Harris and Shawn Bane Jr. collaborated for three TD passes in a season-opening win.
BEST FORCED FUMBLE: Jameer Thurman
We rewind to July 19, when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visited Mosaic Stadium.
With Saskatchewan leading 16-9, Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros found Nic Demski 24 yards downfield. The veteran slotback motored another 26 yards before Thurman dislodged the football. Cornerback Marcus Sayles pounced on the fumble with 2:34 remaining in the game — won 19-9 by the home side.
Comparably, defensive back Amari Henderson stripped the football from Edmonton’s Kurleigh Gittens Jr. late in the fourth quarter on Oct. 5.
Saskatchewan’s C.J. Reavis recovered the loose ball on his team’s 36-yard line. The Roughriders proceeded to extinguish the 101 seconds that remained on the clock and clinch a playoff berth.
BEST TACKLE(S): C.J Reavis
Reavis — the All-CFL cover linebacker — registered a team-high 89 defensive tackles in 2024, so it is not surprising to see his name atop this category.
But he went over and above on Aug. 22 in Toronto, forcing the Argonauts into two turnovers on downs.
For starters, Reavis stuffed quarterback Cameron Dukes in a third-and-one situation.
Reavis subsequently held the Argos to no gain on back-to-back plays. Quarterback Chad Kelly went nowhere on second-and-one. Reavis then stopped running back Ka’Deem Carey at the line of scrimmage on third-and-one.
It was all part of a banner day for Reavis, who amassed 10 defensive tackles to go with a sack and a pass knockdown.
BEST INTERCEPTION: A.J. Allen
The second play from scrimmage on Oct. 12 turned into a touchdown — for the Roughriders defence.
A pass by the Lions’ Nathan Rourke was tipped by the intended receiver (William Stanback) and two defensive backs (Rolan Milligan Jr. and Deontai Williams) before being snared by linebacker A.J. Allen.
Forty-eight yards later, Allen was in the end zone. His quick six ignited the Roughriders as they won 39-6 at Mosaic Stadium and secured a home playoff game.
Allen’s major was rated as No. 10 on a list of plays of the year, as compiled by cfl.ca.
BEST SACK: Caleb Sanders
Sanders’ speed — more than one would expect from a 287-pounder — was on display when he tracked down Vernon Adams Jr. from behind and felled the nimble-footed Lions quarterback for a three-yard loss in the Western Semi-Final.
Asked about Sanders, Head Coach Corey Mace said: “He’s hard to block. He’s quick as a cat. He chased down Vernon for a sack. There aren’t too many people doing that, especially from the D-tackle position.
BEST RETURN: Mario Alford
An Aug. 3 home date with Edmonton began when Alford fielded the opening kickoff, found a crease, turned on the afterburners and scored a 101-yard touchdown.
Alford crossed the goal line 14 seconds into the first quarter, thereby scoring the fourth-fastest TD in Roughriders history.
The 101-yarder was the second-longest kickoff return since the franchise’s inception in 1910. Bobby Thompson scored on a 115-yarder against the visiting Lions on Oct. 24, 1971.
BEST RUN BY A PUNTER: Adam Korsak
Adam Korsak, in an unscripted moment, took off for a six-yard gain on third-and-three early in the third quarter of the Western Final in Winnipeg.
Five plays later, Ouellette scored on a one-yard run.
Korsak’s run was the first by a Roughriders punter since Sept. 26, 2009, when Jamie Boreham took off on a five-yarder in Edmonton.
Korsak’s six-yarder was the longest by a Saskatchewan specialist since Paul McCallum gained 17 on a fake punt against the host Lions on Oct. 30, 2004.
BEST COMEBACK: Rolan Milligan Jr.
For a change, we are not singling out a particular play — but, instead, a particular player.
After missing the final 14 games of the 2023 season due to injury, Milligan Jr. rebounded with a flourish.
He led the league in interceptions (eight) and was third in special teams tackles (20). Hence the rare hat trick of team awards — Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.
Milligan Jr. subsequently became only the third Roughrider to be named the CFL’s top defensive player, following defensive linemen Jearld Baylis (1993) and John Chick (2009).
Another highlight: Milligan Jr. recently signed a contract extension that carries through the 2025 season.
BEST FIELD GOAL: Brett Lauther
Lauther delivered a 55-yarder in the Labour Day Classic against Winnipeg.
That was one of five field goals of 50-plus that he produced over the Roughriders’ final seven regular-season games.
Talk about a finishing kick!
